Georgia celebrates its National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

Georgia celebrated its National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai with an impressive line-up of cultural and entertainment activities, featuring everything from ballet to singing, taking place throughout the day at various venues across the site.

Levan Davitashvili, Vice Prime Minister of Georgia and Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, accompanied by Irakli Nadareishvili, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, were welcomed by Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State.

Al Sayegh said: ‏”Uniquely positioned at the crossroads between East and West with a distinct and unique identity, Georgia’s participation at Expo 2020 emphasises not just the mobility of culture but also the opportunities that the country presents as a regional hub for trade and logistics.

“The UAE and Georgia share a longstanding friendship and partnership, one that has grown at various levels since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries in 1992. Through Expo 2020 and beyond, we are keen on expanding the horizons of our already thriving relationship, by exploring enhanced collaboration between our countries in fields of mutual interest, such as trade, tourism, logistics and renewable energy.”

Davitashvili said: “In the post-pandemic era, with the widespread supply chain disruptions, Georgia offers new opportunities for greater engagement and integration, which will unlock the full potential of the vibrant trade ties With our ambitious foreign policy strategy that envisions Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration, our economy binds together both regions through a unique network of free trade agreements stretching from Europe to Asia.”

As part of the National Day celebration, guests were treated to performances by the Georgian National Ballet Sukhishvili & State Ensemble of Georgian Folk Song Basiani, as well as the Gori Women’s Choir.

A manifestation of ancient culture and heritage, the Georgia Pavilion invites visitors to see the crossroads of the future. The pavilion focuses on traditional winemaking, the Georgian alphabet, sustainable tourism, and various business opportunities that stem from Georgian culture and heritage. A bridge between Europe and Asia, the country is young, forward-looking, and home to multiple investment opportunities, many of which are explained at its pavilion.

National and Honour Days at Expo 2020 Dubai are moments to celebrate each of our 200-plus International Participants, shining a light on their culture and achievements, and showcasing their pavilions and programming.

Running until 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 has invited visitors from across the planet to join the making of a new world in a six-month celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture.

Meanwhile, Levan Davitashvili, Vice Prime Minister of Georgia, has visited Enoc Group’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, which is held under the theme of ‘Reimagine Energy’.

Davitashvili was accompanied by a delegation that included Natia Turnava, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, and Paata Kalandadze, Ambassador of Georgia to the UAE.

The delegation was received by ENOC’s senior management including Saif Humaid Al Falasi, CEO of ENOC Group; Tayyeb Al Mulla, MD, Supply Trading and Processing; Zaid Alqufaidi, MD, ENOC Retail; and Hesham Ali Mustafa, Executive Director, Shared Services Centre, Group HR and New Business Development.

The visit covered a tour of the unique and immersive reimagine energy experience and the Hive, where the two parties discussed current energy industry topics and potential future collaborations.

 Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and Natia Turnava, Georgia’s Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, have officially launched talks for the establishment of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which aims to build on the deep and evolving trade and investment ties between both nations.

The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade with Georgia in the first 10 months of 2021 exceeded US$165 million, representing a growth of 33 percent compared to the same period in 2020. As a strategic gateway to African and Asian markets, the UAE accounts for more than 60 percent of Georgia’s trade with Arab countries and more than 40 percent of its trade with the Middle East and North Africa. The UAE is also Georgia’s most important source of foreign direct investment from the Arab world, and the sixth largest globally.

The launch of CEPA talks was followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on economic cooperation, whereby both countries agreed to expand cooperation in areas such as transportation and logistics; hospitality and real estate; small and medium-sized enterprises; industry and mining; food security and agriculture; tourism; science; technology; telecommunications and innovation; finance and banking; infrastructure and construction; and environment.

On this occasion, Minister Al Zeyoudi said, “Georgia and the United Arab Emirates enjoy close cultural, diplomatic and economic ties that have evolved and strengthened over the years to become the kind of partnership that we have today. We are already active trading partners and, as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, we must prepare for the future by developing a deeper trade and investment relationship. The launch of talks on the UAE-Georgia CEPA reflects our shared desire to work together to enhance the capacity of the private sector, promote startups and entrepreneurs, improve market access and substantially increase the volume of two-way trade.”

“As part of the UAE’s plans to drive sustainable development over the next 50 years and within the framework of the global economic agreements launched by the government of the UAE under the ‘Projects of the 50’, we look forward to concluding the new trade and investment agreement with our friendly partner Georgia as soon as possible,” he added.

For her side, Minister Turnava said, “The bolstering of UAE-Georgian relations has become an increasing priority to both nations as bilateral trade grows, and there is a shared desire and ambition to build on these relations further with a mutually-beneficial comprehensive economic partnership agreement. We want to deepen our existing economic, trade and investment ties to help boost our respective economies and there are huge opportunities for growth in renewable energy, finance, logistics and other key sectors. The UAE is considered a leading centre for trade, energy, business and tourism, and Georgia has wide access to global markets, in addition to its strategic geographical location at the heart of continental trade routes.”

The UAE has already launched free trade negotiations with India, Indonesia and Israel in 2021 and is moving forward quickly to expand ties with other key markets.

Meanwhile, the world is now hailing the vision and courage demonstrated by the leadership of Dubai and the UAE at this special time facing all the challenges and turning the challenges as blessings. About 3 to 5 percent of people visiting Expo 2020 is expected revisiting Dubai or planning to make Dubai their residence post the Expo.

In 1851 the Crystal Palace was the centrepiece of London’s Great Exhibition – the first World Expo. It celebrated the man-made industrial wonders of a rapidly changing world. Architecture, contents and a theme, ‘Industry of All Nations’, were combined to create a big idea of nations meeting nations in shared technological and commercial progress. In more recent years, participants in World Expos, including governments, international organisations and companies, have gathered to find solutions to universal challenges and to promote their achievements, products, ideas, innovations, their national brand, and their nations as destinations for tourism, trade and investment.

World Expos are held under the auspices of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organisation responsible for overseeing and regulating international exhibitions (‘Expos’) and for fostering their core values of Education, Innovation and Cooperation. Today, four types of Expos are organised under the BIE’s auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos and the Triennale di Milano.